Field of Invention
The present invention relates to electronic components and, more particularly, to a carrier device which permits an electrical component having wire leads to be converted for surface mounting on a printed circuit board.
Electrical components having wire leads for mechanical or solderable connection to terminals within an electrical circuit are well known to those skilled in the art. For example, the resistor is a familiar electrical component wherein a metallic material having a specific resistance is molded within a generally cylindrical body formed of insulating material including a pair of conductive wire leads extending from either end thereof.
The wire leads are adapted for mechanical attachment to terminals within a particular circuit which are electrically connected by conductive wiring to other components in the circuit.
Such electrical terminals often include an aperture or hole wherein a terminal end of the wire lead may be inserted and mechanically attached in a so-called through-hole connection in preparation for soldering.
Modernly, printed circuit boards are utilized in a wide variety of electronic appliances. In such printed circuit boards, the electrical pathways between components are formed within the board and filled with a metallic alloy forming an electrically conductive network upon the surface of the circuit board. Thereafter, the required surface mounted components are soldered to the surface of the printed circuit board to complete the electrical circuits.
In order to utilize a conventional electrical component such a resistor having wire leads on a printed circuit board, it is necessary to attach mechanical terminals to the board and, thereafter, solder the leaded component thereto. This process is tedious, labor intensive, and results in increased manufacturing costs.
Thus, the present invention has been developed to conveniently adapt conventional electrical components having wire leads for mounting on the surface of a printed circuit board.